Lovefool
by flootzavut
Summary: Kate would like more cases like this... For iheartGibbs. Kibbs ficlet written for the 2015 Nepal Relief Auction on NFA. The prompt was 'Kibbs at the movies - run with it'


_**Lovefool**_

* * *

"You could at least _pretend_ to watch the movie," Kate murmurs, then hides a laugh at Gibbs' reaction.

"It's a chick flick," he says derisively. "Not my thing." He glances over at her. "It ain't _that_ funny."

She grins. "I beg to differ."

His eye-roll is so exaggerated, it doesn't matter the movie theatre is barely lit by the light from the screen, and this time she has to cover her mouth to keep her laugh from disturbing other moviegoers.

He stretches, and slips an arm around her shoulders. Their mark is several rows away, they probably don't need the subterfuge, but despite her common sense's vociferous protestations, she has absolutely no problem playing couples with him. She snuggles happily into the embrace.

 _Beggars can't be choosers_ , she reminds herself. If she's going to have a huge and inconvenient crush _on her_ _boss_ , she's gonna have to get her kicks where she can.

Gibbs leans in, as if whispering sweet nothings to a lover, and his lips and breath tickle her ear as he speaks.

"Better watch out, Agent Todd. I might retaliate."

It would sound a whole lot more threatening if she couldn't hear the smile. And, well... he can't actually help it, so far as she can tell, but when he lowers his voice like that, he could probably be giving her a lunch order and it'd sound like a come on.

She grins, and feels him shake his head.

"Cheeky minx," is what she _thinks_ he says, although his voice is lower still, and it sounds unusually like a pet name even for _undercover_ Gibbs, so she's not sure if she should trust her hearing.

He sighs, like he's being thoroughly put-upon, but his arm is still around her and his hand is clasped warmly and firmly around her shoulder.

"Tell me again, what's the point of this movie?"

She giggles. "It's a romantic comedy, Gibbs. The point is to be cute and funny and romantic. The clue's there in the genre." She glances at him sideways. "I thought you were supposed to be an investigator."

He narrows his eyes at her, and it'd be a whole lot more effective if he could stifle the reluctant chuckle. "Damn girly films."

She grins. "You did insist on being the one to come with me."

"Yeah, well." He pauses. "Not sure I trust DiNozzo in the dark with _you_ for two hours." He says it quietly and almost absentmindedly, so she's not sure he meant to say all of it out loud.

She manages to keep her pleased squirm almost entirely internal. She was more than a little thrilled by Gibbs' insistence _he_ would be her 'date' for this outing. She can absolutely get on board with him being protective or possessive over her, however much it horrifies her inner feminist. She would, rightly or wrongly, dearly love to be his.

He looks over at where their mark is still deep in conversation with someone, presumably one of his less than salubrious contacts. He's a nasty piece of work, but Kate could almost kiss him for choosing such an unlikely venue for the meeting. She wouldn't object to having to come and watch more chick flicks, with Gibbs bitching in her ear and his thumb absently rubbing her skin. She's so ridiculously, embarrassingly glad she wore a sleeveless top today, and between amusement and enjoyment, this is the most fun she's had at work in ages.

Gibbs sighs slightly, and leans back in his seat with a harrumph. She can't bring herself to mind the grumpiness when it's not aimed at her and hasn't stopped him from touching her. And then his arm tightens around her shoulders, and she finds herself drawn in still closer.

She isn't sure she's _ever_ been up this close and personal with Gibbs before. Maybe briefly, once or twice, when he was shoving her out of danger or off a rappelling platform, but this lingering nearness is not something she's experienced.

And oh, she shouldn't, but she really likes it.

She considers her options for a moment, and then, deciding life's too short to always be sensible, she lets her head gently rest against his shoulder. She feels the puff of air against her hair when Gibbs chuckles down at her, but he doesn't push her away.

They're doing a much better job at looking like a couple than is in any way needed on this particular jaunt. She'd like to tilt her head up and nip at his neck, see how he tastes, but she restrains herself. Instead, she just enjoys the warmth of him, the familiar scent of wood and coffee and man she doesn't usually get to properly savour.

For a few minutes she can buy into the fantasy. It's too bad they're not being watched more closely. If she had the excuse to tug his head down and initiate a kiss, well... she just wishes she did.

Like most good things, it doesn't last nearly long enough. "Think that's our cue," he says, as their mark edges out of his row and heads to the back of the theatre. Gibbs watches furtively as the man disappears up the aisle, gives her shoulder a squeeze, then lets go and bends to gather their belongings, passing her cellphone over so she can send a quick message to their colleagues to let them know the bad guy's on the move.

Gibbs is all back to business, and she swallows down the disappointment. She wants to protest - after all, DiNozzo and McGee are waiting for him, and it's not like she and Gibbs can follow straight on without raising suspicion - but the best excuse she can come up with is something along the lines of 'But I really wanna make out with you'.

Even if Gibbs is up for that - something she's less than sure about - this wouldn't be the time or the place.

She just hopes this case will provide a few more opportunities to indulge in couple-y behaviour. It might be illicit, it might be completely foolish to enjoy it, but when Gibbs shoots her a quick grin and bumps his shoulder into hers, gestures with his eyes for her to follow as he gets up, she thinks she can live with being a fool.

 _~ fin ~_


End file.
